New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-04-08
NEw-YORK, FRIDAY, APRIL g, 1887
CHARGED WITH KILLING HIS WIFE.
He REPORTED THE CASE TO THE POLICE.
REASONS FOR BELIEVING THAT HE COMMITTED


REASONS FOR BELIEVING THAT HE COMMITTED
TIE CRIME
William Tomson rushed iuto the Kingsbridge Police
Station at p. IN. yesterday and told Sergeant norton
that his wife shot. The Sergeant asked hlin wpo
did it and he replied that he did not know. lie sup
posed that she had done it herself but whether for
the purpose of taking her life by accident he had no
means of knowing T0msons voice was thick anu he
staggered as he walked and he had evidently peeh
drinking heavily In answer to further quesuohs no
to the manner Of his we's death he pleaded agnor-
ancc, though he admitted being in the house when ho
pistol was disc hargcd.
Touson hurrieo ont the station to go back TO MS
home but as he went in the opposite direction anu
was walking quickly away an officer was cent m'er
him and he was arrest ID lie was cnragec at Doing
arrested and declared that the police had no rght 10
detain him. Roundsman Iiulse and Police surgeon
William Varian went TO TomsOn's home. lie lived III
q little frame building in Church-st. near broadway
There were two rooms only in the house, q ktcnch
ard bedroom.
Roundsman Huse found Mrs Tomson's body lying
in the doorway leading to tae bedroom She lay upon
her back her head being in the kitchen and her iect
in the bedroom. Blood slowly oozing from het
right eve. DR. Varian shook her and she did 10,
stir. Her body warm, but her heart bad ccaseu
to beat. She was dead. The doctor found that q
pistol ball had entered her right eye, ha gone n'o
the brain and caused instant death The revolver
was found in the bedroom on wooden shen aoou'
ten feet from where the woman lay. IL was a nVe-
barrel Remington pistol. Two OF the chamoers con
tanned empty shells. One OF the cartridges hau oe'h
fred sometime before. .
Who fred the fatal shot DR.. Varian believes that
Mrs Tomson did not shoot herself. Tho iact that
the pistol was found so lar away from her "as one
reason Tor h, belief The bullet must have maze hcr
unconsc once, and she could not have put the
pistol on the shelf and have walked ten ieet before
falling There were blood marks on the Ioor from
the shelf to whe.c she was found.
Another strong piece OF evidence against the theory
of suicide vas the condition OF the womans right
hand II she had shot herself in the right eve we
revolver would certainly have been held IN ber rght
hand. The bullet also took couise toward the ie'
side OF the BRAN. TIE inside OF her sht hand was
covered with powder marks. She could not have held
the pistol in this hand and got these marks on 1t ana
the conrse of the ball that shc could not nave
held the pistol in her left hand. Powder specks were
also in the womaus face showing that the weapon had
been held close tC her head.
That Tomson had the revolver in bis hand II lew
minutes before the shooting ia proven by the sate-
ment OF Harry Collins the nine -yearold son OF Com
tractor Collins ho lives a short distances iiom l0ni-
sons house Tomson called 10 him TO come ana see
hir. The boy started to 60 81 but when he got close
to the house, he that Tomson had pistol IN hs
hand and, IA Tomson had been drinking the boy ran
away Tomson went into tho house and hardiy q
moment passed before there WAS q sharp crack 10 =
pistol. and Immediately atterward Tomson ran Out oI
the house
Deputy Coroner Scholer Investigated the case and
he believes that the shooting was done by Tomson 80
he is held on q charge OF murder. TomsOn Las not
been working for two weeks lie was an engineer on
the aqueduct and lost his place by his Incorporate
habits. lie was married eleven months ago.